Twelfth Night Coronation XXXI/1997

Date

11 Jan. XXXI/1997

Branch

Lyonsmarche, Moscow, ID

Autocrat

Marco Valentino

Site

University of Idaho

Weather

Event Highlights

Coronation of Darius III and Morgaine I

Darius & Morgaine Court Report

The following awards were granted by King Darius & Queen Morgaine:

January 11, 1997 AS XXXI
Skepti Ravensfury (Madrone) - Count
Onore Darkwolfe (Madrone) - Countess
Onore Darkwolfe (Madrone) - Rose
Moonshadow Ironbearer (Blatha an Oir) - Goutte de Sang
Constancia Tattersall (River's Bend) - Goutte de Sang
Inga Calle (Dragon's Laire) - Goutte de Sang
Godyth of Goosefoot Mead (Shittimwoode) - Award of Arms

January 12, 1997 AS XXXI
Fiona O’Conner (Ambergard) - Goutte de Sang
Vita of Wastekeep (Wastekeep) - Award of Arms
Jack Tyler (aka Dyon de Mantel) - Kingdom Rapier Champion
Tanikh bint Farida al Bakim (Lions Gate) - Queen’s Favour
Sine ni Guinne of Kilernan (Ramsgaard) - Jambe de Lion
Aloise de Pont du Fossé (Vulkanfeldt) - Queen’s Favour
Artimis de Montessori - Lion’s Rapier

Personal Memories

(Add your personal event memories here. End them with a blank line, four dashes and another blank line. Don't forget to sign them with dash-dash-tildex3. Reminder: it's considered VERY rude to edit someone else's memories.)

From the Pen of the Pencerdd: Coronation Chronicle

My stomach fluttered as I heard the King's Herald, Jarl Barak, announce "Their Majesties call forward the Righ Honourable Briana Kassia." I have not been so nervous in a long while.

I approached the dais, flanked by my fellow drummer Guidobaldo d'Aquila, and after asking leave of Their Majesties, I began to recite the bardic tribute to Darius and Morgaine, the start of Their Coronation ceremonies.

After I was done, and King Skapti called forth the Heirs, Guido and I began a slow, steady drumbeat. All attention in the hall became focussed on the entryway as the populace became aware of the tramp of marching feet, accented by the butts of spears rapping the floor in rhythm. The Royal Guards, in scarlet tunics embellished by black tracery, entered the hall two by two, each man bearing a spear and a shield emblazoned with the sable phoenix of Prince Darius. The Latin commands of the Primus Pilus rang out as the Guard approached the dais, and the march forward halted, but the men continued to march in place as each assumed the position. The Guard split lengthwise, to create and flank an aisle down the centre.

Immediately behind the Guard came the regal form of Darius, Dux Bellorum and Prince of the Realm, followed by his banner bearer and then his gentle Lady Morgaine, trailed by her banner bearer. Behind Their Highnesses came the Ladies of the Retinue, singing and waving evergreen boughs, and a pair of Ladies strewing propitious herbs before Their Highnesses steps.

The Guard, at another Latin commmand, raised their spears to form an archway, raising each barrier as Their Highnesses and Their banners passed. The banner bearers each took a side and stood at attention, while Prince Darius and Princess Morgaine mounted the dais and knelt before the Crowns of An Tir.

King Skapti welcomed Darius and They, sharing a knife, cut Their palms and then clasped hands in a ceremony of blood-bonding. Queen Onore welcomed Morgaine, and They shared bread and wine, in acknowledgement of Their embodying the fertiliy of the land.

The Champions of An Tir came forward individually to proclaim their witness of Darius and Morgaine's claim, and laid challenge to any who doubted; the Arts and Sciences Champion Guerin tossing down a guage, as opposed to a gage, which brought a chuckle from the assemblage. As no-one cared to answer such puissant challenges, the Champions toasted the Heirs.

Then, with an exchange of oaths, Skapti removed his crown and lowered it onto Darius' head, and Darius' banner was lowered and furled. With the proclamation of a new King, the people cheered "Ave, Darius!" Onore renounced Her claim, and placed Her crown in King Darius' hands, and, turning to Morgaine, He said "With this crown, I fulfill my dream of ruling with you at My side." Tears came to my eyes as He placed the crown on her head. Her banner lowered and furled as well, the populace cheered "Ave, Morgaine!"

King Darius raised his Queen to Her feet, and They shared a kiss. When They turned back to the Thrones, They shared a toast to An Tir with Skapti and Onore, and the populace cheered again "Ave, An Tir!"

Skapti and Onore then knelt in front of their new King and Queen, they exchanged oaths of featly, and then the past King and Queen descended the dais, followed by their retinue, as the hall erupted into cheers of "Ave, Skapti! Ave, Onore!"

The new Royal Retinue took their places behind the Thrones, and I spoke my few remaining lines, confirming the rightness of what we had all just witnessed, and proclaiming Darius and Morgaine "King and Queen of the An Tirians!" While the hall cheered, I took my place with the rest of the retinue.

Once I had retrieved my crawth* and taken my seat, behind and to the left of my Queen, I was surprised to discover how altered court became. For the next few minutes, while the Champions swore fealty, I enjoyed the new perspective I was experiencing. After 13 years in the SCA, I saw court from a whole new viewpoint. It was odd to scan the populace and recognize friends and acquaintances from their hairstyle or coronet, simply I had never seen them thus assembled from this angle before.

During the rest of court, the fealty swearing of the Territorial Princes and Princesses, Royal Peers and Patrons, Landed Barons and Baronesses, Peerage Orders, and the Kingdom Officers, I played my crawth to cover the pauses as people took their places or came forward and observed the proceedings from this novel angle. Not only did the populace appear differently, so too did the business of court. The Knights' oath was particularly dramatic for me as I could, for the first time, actually see live steel resting against the skin of the Queen. From the populace's perspective, the mortal danger and explicit trust thus demonstrated had never seen so real.

After the fealties, the people rose and cheered for their new King and Queen, wished peace to Janeltis, and cheered for An Tir. Proceeding behind their (new) Majesties, I clutched my crawth and followed the trail of Royals, Guards and Ladies, and I felt truly a part of a regal Household. I lived in a facet of the Dream.

"A new King reigns in peace, upheld by his Lady Queen's kiss......Behold, Darius and Morgaine, King and Queen of the An Tirians!"

(*crawth - a 6 stringed, open tuned, early period harp; not really mine, borrowed from my Mistress, Isolde, made by her lord, Tristan)

- Written by HL Briana Kassia, Pencerdd to King Darius and Queen Morgaine